Hydrogen, lithium, and lithium hydride production

ABSTRACT

A hydrogen, lithium, and lithium hydride processing apparatus includes a hot zone to heat solid-phase lithium hydride to form liquid-phase lithium hydride; a vacuum source to extract hydrogen and gaseous-phase lithium metal from the liquid-phase lithium hydride; a cold zone to condense the gaseous-phase lithium metal as purified solid-phase lithium metal; and a heater to melt the purified solid-phase lithium metal in the cold zone and form refined liquid-phase lithium metal in the hot zone.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/171,801, filed on Feb. 4, 2014, entitled“Hydrogen, Lithium, and Lithium Hydride Production,” which was acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/222,002, filed Aug.31, 2011, entitled “Hydrogen, Lithium, and Lithium Hydride Production,”which was granted as U.S. Pat. No. 8,679,224, the entire contents ofeach being incorporated by reference herein.

GOVERNMENT RIGHTS

The U.S. Government has rights to this invention pursuant to contractnumber DE-NA0001942 between the U.S. Department of Energy andConsolidated Nuclear Security, LLC.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to the field of material processing. Moreparticularly, this disclosure relates to hydrogen, lithium and lithiumhydride production.

BACKGROUND

Lithium hydride (LiH) is a useful material. It reacts with water toproduce hydrogen gas and lithium hydroxide. Although this is a violentreaction, it was used in World War II to provide a lightweight source ofhydrogen to inflate signaling balloons. In addition to variousapplications that require the production of hydrogen, there are manyapplications that require high purity lithium and many applications thatrequire the production of high purity lithium hydride. Standard methodsfor production of high purity lithium and high purity lithium hydrideare generally expensive. What are needed therefore are safer and moreeconomical means for using lithium hydride to produce hydrogen, andbetter means for producing high purity lithium and high purity lithiumhydride.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides various embodiments of hydrogen,lithium, and lithium hydride processing apparatuses. Typically theseapparatuses have a hot zone to heat solid-phase lithium hydride to formliquid-phase lithium hydride. A vacuum source is typically provided toextract hydrogen and gaseous-phase lithium metal from the liquid-phaselithium hydride. Embodiments of the apparatuses also typically have acold zone to condense the gaseous-phase lithium metal as purifiedsolid-phase lithium metal. A heater is typically provided to melt thepurified lithium metal in the cold zone and form refined liquid-phaselithium in the hot zone. A moderate zone may be provided and istypically disposed between the hot zone and the cold zone to capture alithium condensate portion of the gaseous-phase lithium and to returnthe lithium condensate portion to the hot zone as liquid-phase lithiumcondensate.

The present disclosure further provides methods of producing hydrogen.The methods typically employ a step “a” of heating lithium hydride toform liquid-phase lithium hydride, a step “b” of extracting hydrogenfrom the liquid-phase lithium hydride, leaving residual liquid-phaselithium metal, and a step “c” of hydriding the liquid-phase lithiummetal. The methods typically involve repeating steps “a” and “b” atleast once.

The present disclosure also provides methods of processing hydrogen andlithium material. Methods typically include steps of heating a lithiumhydride source material that includes lithium hydride to formliquid-phase lithium hydride. The methods generally also involvereducing an ambient pressure over the liquid-phase lithium hydride.Typically, a further step involves extracting hydrogen and gaseous-phaselithium metal from the liquid-phase lithium hydride. Generally themethods also involve condensing the gaseous-phase lithium metal assolid-phase lithium metal. Then the solid-phase lithium metal may bemelted to form refined liquid-phase lithium metal. Some methods mayinclude hydriding the refined liquid-phase lithium metal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various advantages are apparent by reference to the detailed descriptionin conjunction with the figures, wherein elements are not to scale so asto more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbersindicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus forprocessing hydrogen and lithium materials according to one embodiment ofthe disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a vapor pressure curve for hydrogen in lithium hydride as afunction of temperature;

FIG. 3 is a vapor pressure curve for lithium metal as a function oftemperature;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary temperature profile for extracting hydrogen fromlithium hydride and purifying the resultant lithium; and

FIG. 5 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus forprocessing hydrogen and lithium materials according to anotherembodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description of the preferred and otherembodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which forma part hereof, and within which are shown by way of illustration thepractice of specific embodiments of hydrogen and lithium materialprocessing apparatuses and embodiments of methods of processing hydrogenand lithium material. It is to be understood that other embodiments maybe utilized, and that structural changes may be made and processes mayvary in other embodiments.

Lithium hydride is a very space-efficient material for the storage ofhydrogen. The hydrogen density in lithium hydride is greater than thedensity of metallic (solid) hydrogen. In other words there is morehydrogen stored in a cubic unit measure of lithium hydride than in thesame cubic unit measure of pure metallic hydrogen. This phenomenonprovides a potential for the use of lithium hydride as a means ofcompact storage of hydrogen for use in hydrogen-powered vehicles andother applications where a source of hydrogen on demand is needed.

At atmospheric pressure lithium hydride melts at about 692° C. Byreducing the ambient pressure to near vacuum conditions, lithium hydridemay be melted at about 680° C. At atmospheric pressure liquid lithiumhydride decomposes into lithium metal and hydrogen gas at about 850° C.The temperature at which the decomposition occurs may be lowered toabout 750° C. by reducing the ambient pressure over the liquid lithiumhydride to near vacuum conditions. These characteristics may be used inthermal processes to generate hydrogen from lithium hydride withrelative safety compared with a chemical reaction of water with lithiumhydride. Such thermal processes have a further advantage of producinglithium metal instead of the lithium hydroxide that results from thechemical reaction of water with lithium hydride. Typically, manyimpurities in the lithium hydride are removed during these thermalprocesses such that a refined lithium metal is produced. In addition,such thermal processes may be extended to economically produce highpurity lithium hydride by re-hydriding the refined lithium metal.

FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus 10 that may be used to generate hydrogenand lithium metal, as well as to produce high purity lithium and highpurity lithium hydride. The apparatus 10 may also be used to storehydrogen and release the stored hydrogen for subsequent use. Theapparatus 10 provides a hot zone 14, a moderate zone 18, a cold zone 22,and an extraction zone 26. The apparatus 10 also includes a vacuumsystem 38 that is connected by an extraction line 34 to the top of theextraction zone 26 through a manifold 30. Typically the vacuum system 38is an oil-free vacuum pump. A valve 42 is typically provided in theextraction line 34 to permit sealing off the vacuum system 38 from theextraction zone 26.

In the embodiment of the apparatus 10 depicted in FIG. 1 the hot zone 14includes a shim pot 46 that is disposed within a process vessel 50. A“shim pot” is a double-walled vessel with a space between the walls forcontaining materials. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a lithium hydridesource material 58 is disposed between the walls of the shim pot 46. Inthe embodiment of apparatus 10 depicted in FIG. 1, a center can 54 isdisposed within the open space formed by the inner wall of the shim pot46. The shim pot 46 and the center can 54 are preferably constructedfrom a material such as iron that is compatible with lithium. In someembodiments, the shim pot 46 is not used and the lithium hydride sourcematerial 58 is disposed between the process vessel 50 and the center can54. In such embodiments the process vessel 50 is preferably constructedfrom a material such as iron that is compatible with lithium. Inembodiments where a shim pot is used (such as shim pot 46) the processvessel 50 may be constructed from stainless steel, which could besusceptible to erosion if contacted with hot lithium were it not for theprotection against such erosion that is provided by the shim pot 46.Typically the shim pot 46, the process vessel 50 and the center can 54are concentric circular annular shapes.

The lithium hydride source material 58 is substantially lithium hydride,but the lithium hydride source material 58 may include up to ten percentimpurities. That is, the lithium hydride content may be in a range fromabout ninety to one hundred percent of the lithium hydride sourcematerial 58.

Typically the operation of the apparatus 10 begins with establishing aflow of purge gas such as argon 62 from a tank 64 through the manifold30. Then the vacuum system 38 is activated with the valve 42 open. Thepurge flow tends to reduce the flow of dust from the lithium hydridesource material 58 into the vacuum system 38. The process vessel 50 andthe shim pot 46 (if used) and the center can 54 are then heated with anappropriate energy source (e.g., electric resistance, induction, naturalgas). The hot zone 14 is kept under dynamic vacuum by the vacuum system38 as the temperature is increased. The term “dynamic vacuum” means thatthe hot zone 14 is being actively pumped by the vacuum system 38 (i.e.,it is not just pumped to vacuum and then valved off, leaving a trappedvacuum condition). This active pumping removes the argon 62 and anyoff-gasses from the lithium hydride source material 58. Heatingcontinues until the lithium hydride source material reaches at least680° C., which is a melting temperature of lithium hydride at reducedatmosphere. Radiation baffles 66 are provided in the embodiment of FIG.1 to reduce the heat loss through the top of the hot zone 14. Even so,when the bottom of the hot zone 14 is at 680° C. the top of the hot zone14 may only reach 400° C. This is acceptable. Once the lithium hydridesource material 58 is melted the flow of purge gas 62 (e.g., argonthrough the manifold 30) may be discontinued.

As this process proceeds, a barrier crust may form above theliquid-phase lithium hydride in the shim pot 46 (or in the processvessel 50 if the shim pot 46 is not used). The barrier crust is aslag-like material that may be formed from impurities in the lithiumhydride, and from lithium hydroxide formed from lithium hydride reactingwith trace amounts of water vapor in the apparatus 10, and/or from othercontaminants. The barrier crust slows down the evolution of hydrogenfrom the liquid-phase lithium hydride. To overcome this, FIG. 1illustrates that the apparatus 10 may include an agitator 70 forretarding the formation of the barrier crust. In some embodiments theagitator 70 may comprise an inert gas sparge, such as a gas sparge usinga flow of the argon 62 that was discontinued as a purge gas when thelithium hydride source material 58 melted. Such a sparge flowsubstantially retards the formation of the barrier crust above themolten phase. In some embodiments the agitator 70 may comprise an energysource having a periodic waveform (such as ultrasonic vibration) that isapplied to the bottom of the shim pot 46 to retard the development of abarrier crust. In embodiments that do not employ the shim pot 46, theagitator 70 is applied at the bottom of the process vessel 50 betweenthe process vessel 50 and the center can 54.

After the lithium hydride source material 58 melts, the process vessel50 and the shim pot 46 (if used) and the center can 54 are furtherheated such that the lithium hydride source material 58 reaches atemperature of at least 750° C. At that temperature, under near vacuumconditions, the molten lithium hydride decomposes into liquid-phaselithium metal and gaseous-phase hydrogen. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate thecomparative vapor pressures of hydrogen in molten lithium hydride versusthe vapor pressure of lithium metal. At any temperature in the range of700° C. to 1000° C. the vapor pressure of hydrogen from lithium hydrideis ten to thirty times higher than the vapor pressure of lithium vaporfrom lithium metal. Lithium hydride decomposes when the vapor pressureof the hydrogen content is above about 30 torr. This occurs at about750° C., and at that temperature the vapor pressure of Li from lithiummetal is about 1 torr. Consequently, at 750° C., hydrogen ispreferentially (almost exclusively) generated, with very little lithiumvapor generated. Typically at 750° C., hydrogen generation occurs asfast as it can be pumped until all of the lithium hydride in the lithiumhydride source material 58 has decomposed to lithium metal and hydrogen.

As the lithium hydride decomposes into hydrogen and lithium metal, thevacuum system 38 pulls the gaseous-phase hydrogen along paths 74 throughthe moderate zone 18. In embodiments where an inert gas sparge isemployed, the vacuum system 38 also pulls the inert sparge gas throughthe moderate zone 18 and the cold zone 22.

The hydrogen (and inert sparge gas, if present) flows out of the vacuumsystem 38 into an accumulator 94. Certain impurities may also be pulledinto the accumulator 94. A hydrogen membrane filter 98 (such as a sidestream palladium filter) may be used to extract hydrogen 102 (which issubstantially pure after filtration) and store it in a hydrogen storagecompartment 114. The hydrogen 102 may be piped out of the hydrogenstorage compartment 114 for use in a fuel cell process or for use inother devices or chemical processes. If an inert gas sparge 62 (such asthe argon) is used, recovered inert gas 106 may be temporarily stored inan inert gas storage compartment 110. The recovered inert gas 106 maythen be returned to the tank 64 and reused.

The just-concluded description of extraction of hydrogen from thelithium hydride source material completes the process application stepsneeded for some embodiments. In such embodiments the apparatus 10 may bereused for multiple repetitive operations by re-hydriding the lithiumthat remains in the hot zone 14. To do this, the hot zone 14 with therefined lithium metal in the process vessel 50 is heated to atemperature of about 800° C. (if it is not already at that temperature).Then hydrogen (at approximately 16 psia) is introduced into the hot zone14 from a source of hydrogen 170, and the lithium metal is converted tolithium hydride. With this approach the apparatus 10 provides areusable, high density hydrogen storage device. In such embodiments theapparatus 10 may be simplified by eliminating the shim pot 46 andeliminating elements described and discussed later herein such as theinclined deflector 78, the elements in the moderate zone 18, and theelements of the cold zone 22.

In some embodiments it is desirable to purify the liquid-phase lithiummetal that remains in the process vessel 50 after extraction of thehydrogen from the lithium hydride. To do this, the process vessel 50 andthe shim pot 46 (if used) and the center can 54 are further heated toabout 900° C. to about 1,000° C. At that temperature the vacuum system38 is able to extract gaseous-phase lithium metal from the liquid-phaselithium in the hot zone 14. An inclined deflector 78 may be provided tokeep molten gaseous-phase lithium metal from weeping to the sides of theradiation baffles 66, and falling back into the space between the shimpot 46 and the center can 54. The deflector 78 is typically inclined atan angle 82 that is at least 12 degrees. In embodiments where the shimpot 46, the process vessel 50, and the center can 54 are annular, thedeflector 78 is generally conical-shaped. The use of the sparge gas 62(e.g., the argon) encourages the formation of lithium vapor, and,because the lithium vapor is relatively heavy, the sparge gas helps tofloat the lithium vapor up to the top and out of the liquid lithiumwhere it is pulled by the vacuum system 38 into the cold zone 22. It hasbeen found that higher sparge gas rates distill the lithium at a fasterrate. Further, the larger the batch size of lithium hydride sourcematerial 58, the higher the sparge gas rate is needed to lift therelatively heavy lithium vapors to the cold zone 22. In preferredembodiments, the sparge gas rate ranges from about 10 L/min per kilogramof lithium metal to about 20 L/min per kilogram of lithium metal, andmost preferably about 15 L/min per kilogram of lithium metal.

The cold zone 22 typically includes a chiller 122, such as a counterflow gas to gas heat exchanger. The gaseous-phase lithium metal pulledinto the cold zone 22 solidifies as solid-phase lithium metal in thecold zone 22. Some of the gaseous-phase lithium metal vapors passingthrough the moderate zone 18 may condense back to liquid-phase lithiummetal in the moderate zone 18 before reaching the cold zone 22. Thiscondensed liquid-phase lithium metal (lithium metal condensate) flows bygravity back down through the funnel-shaped portion 130 of the moderatezone 18 and cylinder 158 in the lid of the process vessel 50 to thecenter can 54 in the hot zone 14. Upon its return to the process vessel50 the condensed liquid-phase lithium metal may be again converted togaseous-phase lithium metal. Eventually all gaseous-phase lithium metalvapors pass through the moderate zone 18 and condense in the cold zone22 where the lithium metal is trapped in the solid phase.

FIG. 4 presents a summary of an exemplary temperature profile that maybe used to extract hydrogen and lithium metal from the lithium hydridesource material 58. The process starts at point “A” where the processvessel 50 is heated and argon 62 is introduced as a purge gas throughthe valve 42. When the lithium hydride source material 58 reaches atemperature of about 680° C. (at point “B”) and is molten, the flow ofargon 62 is switched to a sparge gas through the agitator 70. During thetime interval “C” the lithium hydride becomes molten. The temperature ofthe molten lithium hydride is then increased to about 750° C. and duringtime interval “D” the lithium hydride decomposes to lithium andhydrogen, and the hydrogen is pumped away. When the lithium hydridedecomposition is complete (at time “E”) the molten lithium is furtherheated to about 900° C. where, during time interval “F,” the lithiummetal vaporizes and is frozen in the cold zone 22.

Upon completion of the thermal decomposition of lithium hydride and thedeposit of the solid-phase lithium metal in the cold zone 22, the gaspressure in the device approaches full vacuum (provided that the inertgas sparge, if used, is turned off). At that point, the valve 42 to thevacuum system 38 may be closed and the apparatus 10 may be cooled,typically by simply turning off power to the apparatus 10.

Referring still to FIG. 1, the highly purified lithium metal that hascondensed in the cold zone 22 may be extracted by using heaters 146 toheat the cold zone 22 to a temperature above 180° C., the meltingtemperature of lithium metal. Supplemental heaters 150 may be applied tothe moderate zone 18. The purified liquid-phase lithium metal runs downinto the center can 54 of the hot zone 14 (which is now cold) through acylinder 158, thereby providing refined lithium metal. The cylinder 158has an end 162, and it is beneficial to have the end 162 of the cylinder158 terminate at an elevation that is below the top of the center can54.

As previously noted, the apparatus 10 may be recharged for repetitiveoperations by re-hydriding the refined lithium in the hot zone 14 suchthat the refined lithium metal is converted to refined lithium hydride.Alternatively, the vapor distilled, ultra-high purity refined lithiummetal may be removed from the process vessel 50 under inert conditionsfor other uses. In some embodiments the apparatus 10 is used as areiterating lithium or lithium hydride refining device, and in suchembodiments the source of hydrogen 170 may include hydrogen 102extracted from a prior decomposition of lithium hydride.

Referring to FIG. 5, apparatus 200 may be used to generate hydrogen andlithium metal according to an alternative embodiment. Apparatus 200generally includes the same components described above, withcorresponding components being given the same reference characters asidentified in FIG. 1 for consistency. As shown, apparatus 200 alsoincludes a hot zone 14, moderate zone 18, and a cold zone 22. A vacuumsystem 38 is provided to pull gaseous-phase hydrogen and subsequentlylithium vapor through the system. A center can 54 is provided to collectcondensed liquid-phase lithium metal that flows by gravity from the coldzone 22 and moderate zone 18 through cylinder 158. A sparge gas 62 isintroduced into the process vessel 50 to encourage the formation oflithium vapor from the lithium hydride source material 58 and to helpfloat the lithium vapor up to the moderate zone 18 and cold zone 22. Athermocouple well 202 is used to monitor the internal temperature profieof the process vessel 50.

One difference between apparatus 200 of FIG. 5 and apparatus 10 of FIG.1 is that apparatus 200 integrates the moderate zone 18 with the lid ofthe process vessel 50. In preferred embodiments, the moderate zone 18(i.e., lid of the process vessel) is in the form of a funnel to helpdirect the condensed liquid-phase lithium into the center can 54. Also,according to this alternative embodiment, the beginning of the cold zone22 is disposed directly above the lid of the process vessel 50. Inpreferred embodiments, most of the condensing of the gaseous-phaselithium metal to liquid-phase lithium metal occurs in moderate zone 18.Any gaseous-phase lithium metal that escapes the moderate zone 18 in thelid of the process vessel then immediately comes into contact with coldzone 22. By integrating the moderate zone 18 with the lid of the processvessel 50 and placing the beginning of the cold zone 22 immediatelyabove the process vessel 50, the distance in which the vacuum system 38is required to lift the relatively heavy lithium vapors before they arecondensed to liquid-phase lithium metal is decreased.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cold zone according to this embodiment ispreferably in the form of a cooled conduit with an entry end and an exitend that is in fluid communication with the vacuum system 38 and processvessel 50. In preferred embodiments, the inner surface of the conduit isless than about 10° C. such that gaseous-phase lithium metal iscondensed upon contact with the inner surface of the conduit. To preventbridging of the condensed lithium metal and subsequent clogging of theconduit, the conduit is preferably at least four inches in diameter.While most gaseous-phase lithium metal will condense in either themoderate zone 18 or almost immediately upon entering the cold zone 22,the conduit preferably includes an extended length such that allgaseous-phase lithium metal is preferably condensed prior to beingpulled out of cold zone 22 and into the vaccum system 38 and/or hydrogenstorage compartment 114. A filter system may also be provided adjacentthe exit end of the cold zone 22 to further prevent gaseous-phaselithium metal from being extracted into the vaccum system 38 and/orhydrogen storage compartment 114.

Another difference between apparatus 200 of FIG. 5 and apparatus 10 ofFIG. 1 is that in FIG. 5 the center can 54 is elevated within theprocess vessel 50 (i.e., above the source material 58 and closer to themoderate zone 18). In this regard, because the moderate zone 18 isintegrated into the lid of the process vessel 50, a temperature gradientmay be provided in the process vessel with higher temperatures towardsthe bottom of the process vessel for vaporizing the lithium hydridesource material 58 and cooler temperatures towards the top of theprocess vessel 50. In preferred embodiments, the bottom of hot zone 14is heated to about 900° C. to about 1,000° C. to extract thegaseous-phase lithium metal as described above while the moderate zone18 is cooled to about 300° C. to 450° C., or most preferably about 400°C. Allowing the lid to exceed a temperature of about 450° C. has beenfound to warp adjacent sealing surfaces, which makes the vessel 50unusuable because it cannot hold the vaccum conditions described above.On the other hand, letting the lid stay in the 300° C. range results ina condensed liquid-phase lithium metal that is very viscuous and doesnot flow well into the center can 54. Further, holding the lid to about400° C. results in the center can 54 being heated at a relatively lowertemperature of about 600° C., which prevents the condensed liquid-phaselithium metal collected in the center can from the cold zone 22 fromreverting back to lithium vapor. Thus, this embodiment where the centercan 54 is elevated within the process vessel may be used when therefined lithium is not intended to be recharged for repetitiveoperations.

In preferred embodiments, chilled copper coils are disposed adjacent theoutside of the lid of the process vessel 50 to cool the moderate zone18. Coiled heaters may also be disposed adjacent the outside of the lidof the process vessel to assist in keeping the temperature of themoderate zone 18 at the desired temperature. For example, assuming thechilled copper coils cool the moderate zone 18 to about 300° C., thecoiled heaters may be used to bring the temperature of the moderate zone18 up to the desired 400° C. Similarly, if the coiled heaters heat themoderate zone 18 to a temperature substantially above the 400° C., thechilled copper coils may be used to bring the temperature back down toabout 400° C. Thus, the combination of a cooling source and a heatingsource may be used to maintain the moderate zone 18 at the desiredtemperature.

As also shown in FIG. 5, a reverse funnel shaped portion 132 is providedadjacent the end 162 of cylinder 158 to increase the surface area of thelid region of the process vessel 50 between the moderate zone 18 and thehot zone 14. By increasing the surface area underneath the moderate zone18, the condensation rate is increased (i.e., the time required tocollect the lithium vapor from the hot zone is reduced by increasing thesurface area of the lid region of the process vessel leading to thecylinder 158).

In addition to various embodiments of apparatuses, the presentdisclosure provides methods of processing hydrogen and lithium material.The methods typically involve heating a lithium hydride source materialthat includes lithium hydride to form liquid-phase lithium hydride. Thelithium hydride source material is heated to a temperature that istypically in the range of 750° C. to 800° C. to form a liquid-phaselithium hydride. A reduced ambient pressure over the liquid-phaselithium hydride (such as provided by a vacuum pump) extracts hydrogenand gaseous-phase lithium metal from the liquid-phase lithium hydride asthe lithium hydride decomposes. The reduced ambient pressure also has abenefit of reducing the decomposition temperature of the lithiumhydride. Typically the gaseous-phase lithium metal is condensed assolid-phase lithium metal. Sometimes a lithium condensate portion of thegaseous-phase lithium may be captured and returned to the lithiumhydride source material as liquid-phase lithium condensate. Thesolid-phase lithium metal may be extracted from the cold zone by meltingto form refined lithium metal, and the refined lithium metal may behydrided using hydrogen gas to form a re-charged lithium hydride. Thepreviously-described process steps for decomposing lithium hydride maythen be repeated one or more times using recharged lithium hydride asthe lithium material.

Some processes may involve retarding the formation of a barrier crustthat may form adjacent the liquid-phase lithium hydride. This retardingstep may involve sparging the liquid-phase lithium hydride with an inertgas such as argon, and/or it may involve agitating the liquid-phaselithium hydride with an energy having a periodic waveform, such asultrasonic energy.

In summary, embodiments disclosed herein provide a hydrogen and lithiummaterial processing apparatus and methods of processing hydrogen andlithium materials. The foregoing descriptions of embodiments have beenpresented for purposes of illustration and exposition. They are notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the preciseforms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible inlight of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and describedin an effort to provide the best illustrations of principles andpractical applications, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill inthe art to utilize the various embodiments as described and with variousmodifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All suchmodifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claimswhen interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they arefairly, legally, and equitably entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hydrogen, lithium, and lithium hydrideprocessing apparatus comprising: a hot zone to heat a lithium hydridesource material and decompose the lithium hydride source material toform gaseous-phase hydrogen and subsequently gaseous-phase lithiummetal; a vacuum source to extract the gaseous-phase hydrogen andsubsequently gaseous-phase lithium metal; a cold zone to condense thegaseous-phase lithium metal as purified solid-phase lithium metal; and aheater to melt the purified solid-phase lithium metal in the cold zoneand form refined liquid-phase lithium metal in the hot zone.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 further comprising a source of hydrogen connectedto the hot zone to hydride the refined liquid-phase lithium metal. 3.The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a moderate zone disposedbetween the hot zone and the cold zone to capture a lithium condensateportion of the gaseous-phase lithium and to return the lithiumcondensate portion to the hot zone as liquid-phase lithium condensate.4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hot zone includes a processvessel for heating the solid-phase lithium hydride and collecting therefined liquid-phase lithium metal.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 furthercomprising a moderate zone disposed between the hot zone and the coldzone to return the refined liquid-phase lithium metal to the hot zone.6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the moderate zone is integrated intoa lid of the process vessel, the lid having a cylinder extending throughthe lid for directing the refined liquid-phase lithium metal to a centercan disposed in the process vessel.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 whereinthe center can is elevated within the process vessel to prevent therefined liquid-phase lithium metal from converting to gaseous-phaselithium metal.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a reversefunnel shaped portion disposed around an end of the cylinder in the hotzone.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises afilter to purify hydrogen extracted from the liquid-phase lithiumhydride.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an agitator toretard a formation of a barrier crust.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10wherein the agitator comprises an inert gas sparge to sparge theliquid-phase lithium hydride.
 12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein theagitator comprises an energy source having a periodic waveform toagitate the liquid-phase lithium hydride.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the cold zone comprises a counter flow gas to gas heatexchanger.
 14. A hydrogen, lithium, and lithium hydride processingapparatus comprising: a hot zone to heat a lithium hydride sourcematerial and decompose the lithium hydride source material to formgaseous-phase hydrogen and subsequently gaseous-phase lithium metal; avacuum source to extract the gaseous-phase hydrogen and subsequentlygaseous-phase lithium metal; a moderate zone disposed above the hot zoneto condense at least a portion of the gaseous-phase lithium metal toliquid-phase lithium metal and return the liquid-phase lithium metal toa center can disposed in the hot zone; a cold zone disposed above themoderate zone to condense gaseous-phase lithium metal that is notcondensed to liquid-phase lithium metal in the moderate zone tosolid-phase lithium metal.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein thecold zone further comprises a heater to melt the solid-phase lithiummetal in the cold zone to be collected in the center can disposed in thehot zone.
 16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the hot zone includes aprocess vessel and the moderate zone is integrated into a lid of theprocess vessel.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the moderate zoneis held to a temperature between about 300° C. to about 450° C.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 16 wherein the moderate zone is held to a temperatureof about 400° C.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the center can iselevated within the process vessel to prevent the liquid-phase lithiummetal from converting to gaseous-phase lithium metal in the hot zone.20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the cold zone is a conduit havinga diameter of at least four inches extending from the lid of the processvessel.